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    Kim Chee II Restaurant

    3.8 (495 reviews)
    ModerateKorean
    Closed 10:30 am - 7:45 pm

    Kim Chee II Restaurant Photos

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    KIM CHEE II RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed
    Good for kids

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    Christina N.

    Came here twice and the first time they were doing take out only. We managed to get a sit down table the second time and enjoyed our food. We got the kalbi and meat Jun. Portions were big and it was tasty. It's a decent place if you're in the area but I probably wouldn't make a trip just to eat here

    Out front
    Thalya C.

    Overall, it was a 3.5/5. This is definitely a local spot for a with a good lunch special. The portions are larger and you will most likely have leftovers but it's a really good size for what you're paying. Looking for some quick and good priced Korean food during the day, this is the spot! The vibe is definitely casual so come as you are and be ready to eat!

    The sweet waitress got us this big bowl of soup when I mentioned my kids love it :)
    Kira K.

    This place has been around forever, and yet I've always told myself I'll try it out.. but I keep forgetting LOL. Well, today, I finally got to try this place out We went for dinner on a Friday night and the place was quite packed.. we waited for about 5-10 min which wasn't bad. When we got seated, I really liked the nostalgic old school local diner feel this place had :) the big booths were comfortable and we have 2 young kids so it was nice that they had room to sprawl out in the booth When ordering, I asked if I could order sides of seaweed soup since my kids love it, but the sweet waitress said it's free and to make it easier, she will bring the seaweed soup out in a huge bowl so I can keep serving them some :) I got the Small Bone Special which included 2 pieces of kalbi, and 2 other entrees of your choice (from the choices listed on the menu) - I chose the fish Jun and meat jun BANCHAN: we had pickled kimchi cabbage, burdock Kim chi, Mac salad (that had purple sweet potato in it), regular pickled cabbage, bean sprouts, and seaweed. All were good (though if they had the shoyu potatoes or fish cake, that would have really been the icing on the cake!) SMALL BONE SPECIAL: ($23): the kalbi was tender and delicious! Perfectly marinated :) I was sure to eat that up first lol. Upon looking at my plate, I was surprised to see how thick the meat jun and fish jun were! The fish Jun was meaty and delicious, and their meat jun sauce is yummy. While my first meat jun was okay, unfortunately, the others were not only thick, but extremely chewy where I had to spit a lot of it out. The meat jun was the only downside of our meal (which is a shame because meat jun is usually my favorite) I did get to try some of my husband's food (he got a combo of shrimp tempura, chicken katsu, and fish jun) - and his chicken katsu was perfectly cooked and tender Although their meat jun was disappointing and service was a bit slow, service was friendly and the portions are extremely generous considering the prices (especially with how everything is usually crazy expensive nowadays) - so I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt and giving them 5 stars anyways. We will definitely be back as the portions and prices are very good!

    Menu 11/2/25 (1 of 2)
    Jo Y.

    After immigrating to HI, Henry and Rose Chun opened Kim Chee 2 Restaurant in 1977. The prominent Chun family opened a series of Korean restaurants named Kim Chee and differentiated by a number. The four Kim Chee restaurants still operating today are Kim Chee I in Kaneohe, Kim Chee 2 in Kaimuki, Kim Chee 7 in Aiea, and Kim Chee 9 on Kauai. This review is for Kim Chee 2 in Kaimuki. With Henry Chun's passing in 2014, son Jimmy Chun took over Kim Chee 2 until his passing in 2021. Jimmy's three children, Nick, Faith, and Leila took over the restaurant after growing up working in the restaurant, just like their dad, Jimmy. Nick is the overall manager. Kim Chee 2 offers the typical Korean bbq meats (LA short rib, big bone short rib, bulgogi, bbq pork), chicken, fried mandoo, fried rice, tonkatsu, meat jun, bi bim bap, bi bim kook soo, chap chae, chicken tofu, fish jun, spicy pork, and shrimp tempura. Lunch/dinner specials and combos use a variation of these dishes. The restaurant, known for its bbq items, also serves butterfish, squid, zucchini jun, and soups. The dishes are served with veggies (bean sprouts, bean sprouts, and pickled cabbage) and rice. Banchan of kim chee and pickled turnip are also served. Original family recipes are used. Note that their menu offerings are not authentic Korean cuisine, but instead adapted to local tastes; so, you won't find any Korean nationals here speaking Korean, but instead generational local folks who have grown up with this restaurant. There's also a good chance that meat jun was invented here, as you will not find this dish in Korea. We ordered the following: * Mixed plate. This consisted of a large bone bbq short rib, bulgogi, bbq chicken, fried mandoo. This was a nice assortment of their meats, and all were tasty from the different marinades that were used prior to grilling. Loved the charring, and the tenderness of the meats. I especially loved the big bone kalbi with its perfect yummy taste after grilling! * Combo of shrimp tempura and meat jun. The shrimp tempura is the bready style, but yet there was crispiness on the outside. The meat jun's egg batter was very soft and fluffy that did not separate from the meat. Perfectly done. Interestingly, there is only the gochujang sauce that is used for dipping for all meats, including the shrimp, and I did not have any problems with that. We shared the banchan of kimchee and kimchee turnip. Both dishes had beansprouts, seaweed, and pickled cabbage. We each had seaweed soup, which was piping hot and lots of seaweed in it. Portions were generous, and we had leftovers to last another meal. As we were there during off-peak hours, like about 4p, there were only a few people dining. As such, customer service was excellent with prompt efficient service by friendly family members. The restaurant interior is like time has stood still. Yes, it's very dated and would not be surprised if it looked the same when it first opened. You never see an entire restaurant with entirely bluish-green vinyl booths anymore, but you'll find them here. Korean art adorns the walls, and Korean vases are displayed alongside the booths. Hours of operation are Wed to Mon 10:30a to 7:45p, closed Tues. Located up on the hill in Kaimuki next to Happy Days Chinese Restaurant, a large municipal lot is located in the back, and metered parking on Waialae Ave and surrounding streets. This family-run old-school restaurant is likely to continue its legacy in offering tasty Korean comfort food to locals in generous portions at reasonable prices. We look forward in returning whenever we have a craving our local Korean favorites! Support local!

    3/29/2026 Menu prices.
    George K.

    Usually everything is awesome however today 3/29/2026 I had the lunch special take out the portion of the rice was very little maybe one scoop or less but the portion of meat was great. The only bad thing was it was to salty, 1st time ever. I come from Nanakuli to eat at this great place but today was to salty. Service is always great tho. Attached is a copy of the update prices.

    Bun Chong
    Kevin W.

    Kim Chee 2 one of the Top rated Korean food restaurants on Oahu. Family owned and operated. We've been patronizing them when "Uncle" was still running the register to his son Jimmy then on to Jimmy's family now running the restaurant. The quality of the food and service has always been consistently outstanding. We've sampled pretty much everything on the menu and have never been disappointed. A definite favorite and must try are their Big Bone Kalbi and BBQ Pork. Totally cravable food . Dine in or Take Out or Delivery service available.

    Side of Korean veggies that come with all meals
    Ray L.

    We can always count on Kim Chee II to cure that Korean food crave. You can find a table most anytime outside of peak weekend dinner hours. Service is quick and food quality and portions are always consistently good. Remember that they are closed on tuesdays.

    Michelle M.

    Always a yummy spot for Korean food cravings. Huge servings and enjoy the kalbi and meatjun Lots of booths great for family gatherings and menu specials to choose from Parking paid lot or if you find street parking Can't wait to return again

    3 choice katsu, kalbi and mandoo
    Caitlin C.

    The new servers are kinda junk. We were there for nearly 2 hours and it wasn't even that full. We had to remind them twice to give us WATER, we didn't even get it until about 40 mins into our wait. The couple they sat next to us got their food and water right away. The food is so nostalgic and consistent so we keep coming back. If it's your first time you might not be into it but I'll always love the food there. It never changes.

    The bbq meat/chicken combo plate
    Ric C.

    The 2024 update. Bedrock of Kaimuki town. Every neighborhood business district has businesses that have been there seemingly forever. These are the businesses that usually come to mind when one does a word (business) association for the area. Local, being what it is, usually has restaurants or food establishments that come to mind. Kaimuki old timers will think about food establishment ghosts like the Pottery Steak House, Kwon On or Ed & Dons and more recently, Big City Diner and Azteca. Some casualties of the pandemic fallout, some just disappearing with the passage of time. But every community has those businesses which are bedrocks- seemingly having been their forever- and are still there today. Kim Chee 2 is one such restaurant. Owned by the same family for 3 generations, they have been there since 1977. They are survivors. As has been pointed out, this is more of a local style Korean restaurant, not authentic style, neighborhood Korean comfort food. Dining in is always fun, but can be hectic and the wait longer than one would want. Much of the seating along the walls are the half circle well padded vinyl type reminiscent of the 70s. Favorites include Kal bi, bbq chicken and meat jun. The meat can be tough at times but the bbq chicken is quite consistent. The side veggies that cone with your meal is nothing to write home about and the Kim Chee is among the mildest I've ever tasted. On a recent Friday night at about 5:30, I did take out and the place was packed. The take out order was ready as promised, the Korean style comfort food a hit- as always. Nothing special, but oh, so satisfying.

    Combo plate and shrimp tempura combo plate.
    John N.

    This place to me is the best Kim Chee of all. Best meat Jun and Kalbi. The tempura is sometimes little too battery. Today was on point. Veggies always fresh and their sauce is #1. Better than that shoyu type they have at other Korean places. The owner's kids are really doing a good job carrying on the reputation of this place. Aloha

    Tod K.

    Saturday March 22, 2025 we eat here every now and then. The food is still good. But, when the dad and the son Jimmy was there the food seemed to be better back then. Maybe, different cooks back then till now. The service was good. The ambiance was casual and comfortable. Parking is paid by credit card when leaving the parking lot. There is no parking attendant anymore to take cash.

    Lunch special
    Brennan H.

    I was craving korean and heard about this place through co-workers. Went and got it and was super impressed! So much food! Definitely a good lunch special. The bbq chicken was cooked well, the mandoo were also tasty, and the meat jun had a good flavor. The kim chee was just ok for me, but I liked that I could eat it with the meat. Their sauce was also delicious and complemented the meats and mandoo well. Glad they gave a big cup! Will be back again for lunch!

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    4 months ago

    Unprofessional and not dependable. Hours change at the drop of the hat. Food has also gone downhill. A sinking ship. Find other options.

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    Choi's Garden

    Choi's Garden

    3.7
    (632 reviews)
    2.9 mi
    $$

    We stopped by Choi's Garden around 11:20 a.m., shortly after they opened at 11. There were already…read moretwo tables seated when we arrived. One thing we noticed right away was that it was pretty warm inside. I'm not sure if the A/C wasn't on yet or if it was having issues, but it's something to keep in mind if you're visiting during the day. We waited about 5 minutes at the front without seeing any staff or receiving a greeting. Eventually, a server rushed in through the door and was clearly scrambling to get everything set up. After another 5 minutes, she finally seated us. She apologized and explained that the person who was supposed to open didn't show up, so she had to cover everything herself. Throughout our visit, several parties who arrived after us also ended up waiting 10 minutes or more to be seated. That was really the only downside of our experience. The server was doing her best under the circumstances, and it seemed like an unfortunate staffing issue rather than the norm. Now for the food--it was excellent! We originally came for the $5.99 naengmyeon special, and it was absolutely worth it. We also shared the spicy pork and the meat jun, and both dishes were surprisingly delicious. Everything was flavorful, and the portions were satisfying. Overall, I'd definitely come back. Despite the rough start, the food made up for it, and I'm hopeful the staffing situation was just a one-off. Hopefully they'll also get the A/C situation sorted out because that would make the dining experience even better.

    Friend suggested here as a centrally located place for several of us to get together…read more Service - male server was accommodating Female, not so much. Had to call and up the count on our reservation twice, female did that well. They put us in the far back corner and it was warm. Female did come and turn the fan on after a little while, explaining the AC was broken. Fan did help, but I was near the fan. I don't think it reached the folks farther in (there were 8 of us). Three of us ordered the stone pot bibimbap with bulgogi. One wanted to sub BBQ chicken, was told, "no." She had to change her order since she doesn't eat beef. Friend later told me she had been accommodated before, but these seemed to be new owners.) Two ordered BBQ Chicken plates, one the stir fried squid, one kimchee fried rice, one meat jun, a fish jun. Ban Chan came - two sets (one per table of four) of bean sprouts, fish cake, Choi sum, potatoes, kimchee. They were good. Cold water was served, and after a while we were given a pitcher so we could refill our cups, which was good. Food didn't take overly long to come out but wasn't really quick. (There were only two servers and the restaurant filled up quickly.) Stone pot bibimbap flavor was a disappointment. Only gochujung sauce to add, no sesame seed oil, so it was bland. Both of us who got it didn't think it was very tasty. Otherwise, it was nice and hot, and there was plenty of crispy rice after mixing it all up, and it included a raw egg which added some flavor, but not much. I will not get it again. Those with the BBQ chicken said it was tasty and juicy. Meat jun and fish jun was ok. Kimchee fried rice and stir fried squid were very spicy. Flavor was ok. Had to ask for our checks, were told they had only two staff working so they were very busy, but they kindly accommodated four separate checks for the eight of us. Not sure if I'll return. Prices are reasonable for the portion size, but no AC, bland stone pot bibimbap, we're not to my liking.

    Photos
    Cute decor
    Cute decor
    Banchan
    Banchan
    Choi's Garden

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    ‘I'O Waikiki Korean BBQ Restaurant

    ‘I'O Waikiki Korean BBQ Restaurant

    3.9
    (181 reviews)
    1.9 mi
    $$$

    I tried their $29 lunch special and it was sooo worth it. The quality of the meat was honestly…read moreimpressive for the price. The brisket and beef belly (toro) were my favorites, super flavorful and cooked perfectly. It doesn't come with salad, egg, or soup, but you still get a solid KBBQ experience with just meat and banchan. If you're looking for something simple and satisfying, this is a great deal. Also, the restaurant is really spacious, which makes the whole experience feel more relaxed and comfortable. Would definitely come back for a quick KBBQ fix.

    Sorry, but this place feels like a tourist trap. They're clearly benefiting from being in a prime…read morelocation with very few Korean BBQ options nearby. The premium AYCE option is around $60 per person, which would be reasonable if the quality matched the price. Unfortunately, it doesn't. We're from the Bay Area and have been to countless Korean BBQ restaurants with significantly better meat quality for the same price or less. To make matters worse, even at the highest-priced AYCE tier, fountain drinks aren't included. What really left a bad impression was the automatic 20% gratuity. Our group consisted of two separate parties of three people each. We were seated together at one large table with two grills, but we had separate bills, ordered different AYCE meats option, didn't share food, and made that CLEAR before ordering. The menu states that automatic gratuity applies to parties of five or more, yet we were still charged because we happened to sit together. Had we known this was their policy, we would have chosen another restaurant or sat at different areas of the restaurant. The reason I'm giving two stars instead of one is because our servers were friendly, patient, and knowledgeable. They answered all of our questions about the menu and provided excellent service throughout the meal. Unfortunately, when we brought the gratuity issue to the manager, he insisted we were one large party despite us being separate parties with separate orders and separate checks. At the end of the day, the only difference was that we happened to be sitting at the same table. Overall, the service from the staff was great, but the overpriced food, disappointing meat quality, and questionable gratuity policy make it hard for me to recommend this place.

    Photos
    ‘I'O Waikiki Korean BBQ Restaurant
    Very marbled beef (I can't remember the name)
    Very marbled beef (I can't remember the name)
    Pork belly and Kalbi

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    Pork belly and Kalbi

    Kim Chee II Restaurant - korean - Updated July 2026

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